International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples

Who are they?

There is no rigid definition of what makes a group Indigenous, but the United Nations and the International Labour Organization have outlined a few characteristics that usually define an Indigenous group:

- We are descended from the pre-colonial/pre-invasion inhabitants of our - region.
- We maintain a close tie to our land in both our cultural and economic practices.
- We suffer from economic and political marginalization as a minority group.
- A group is considered Indigenous if it defines itself that way.

Not Just a River

The Amazon River basin represents only 7% of the world’s total service area, but it is also home to 400 different indigenous groups. One of the largest concentrations of indigenous peoples in the world.

Top Things to Do on this Day

- Donate to Survival International. All funds donated are put towards the survival and protection of indigenous peoples rights. They help to defend their lands and lives and help them determine their own future.

- Organize a trip to an indigenous reserve near you or plan a trip to visit a country where much of the population is predominantly indigenous. Try visiting Guatemala, Bolivia, Brazil or the Peruvian highlands.

- Spread awareness of social media by using the hashtags #InternationalDayoftheWorldsIndigenousPeoples, #IndigenousPeoples or tag a specific indigenous group such as #cree or #inca.